Inhibition of chemical transformation of hamster embryo cells by retinoids

Abstract 13- cis -Retinoic acid, trans -retinoic acid, 13- cis -retinal, trans -Tetinal and trans -retinol inhibited morphological transformation of hamster embryo cells induced by N -butyl- N -acetoxymethylnitrosamine (BAMN). Addition of 13- cis -retinoic acid after 24-h treatment with N -butyl- N -acetoxymethylnitrosamine also inhibited induction of transformation, suggesting that retinoids inhibited the progressive stage of transformation. The five retinoids tested all altered the orientation of the cells and enhanced density dependent inhibition. Hamster embryo cells treated with 13- cis -retinoic acid could be stained with periodic acid-Schiff base staining, while untreated cells could not.